Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) - Full Time

Position : Assistant Director of Nursing

Status : Full Time, Exempt

• All positions at Northlake Behavioral Health require the successful completion of a post-offer / pre-employment criminal background check and drug screen.

Position Summary :

The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) supports the Director Nursing (DON) in overseeing the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate nursing care within the behavioral health hospital. The ADON provides leadership and clinical guidance to nursing staff, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards, facility policies, and best practices in behavioral healthcare. This role assists with staffing, training, performance management, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to promote a therapeutic environment that fosters patient recovery and well-being. The ADON serves as a role model for professional practice, helping to drive quality improvement initiatives, enhance patient outcomes, and maintain a culture of accountability, safety, and respect across all nursing units.

Essential Functions :

Assists Director of Nursing with all aspects of the nursing department, nursing practice and direct care staff and directly supervises the nursing supervisors, infection control nurse, med clinic nurse, and nursing staff throughout the hospital.

Actively communicates issues, serious occurrences and concerns about patient care and milieu management to the CEO, COO, DCS, and RM. Participates and provides input about patient’s behavior and medical needs to interdisciplinary treatment team and attends treatment team meetings a minimum of 1-2 times monthly for each program

Ensures the nursing department follows all hospital policies and procedures and follows all state, federal, and JOINT regulatory requirements. Assists with implementation of accepted nursing practice throughout the hospital in accordance with state, federal and TJC requirements.

Works with other departments and team members to ensure communication remains consistent, matters are addressed in a timely manner, responds to issues or concerns as directed.

Assist with the personnel management associated with direct supervision of the nursing staff, including hiring, screening and selection, orientation training and development, performance management and disciplinary actions and employee relations functions; actively participates in the hospital orientation process. Ensures disciplinary or other HR documentation is turned in to the HR Dept. in a timely manner.

Provides training as needed to staff members at all levels; participates in the annual health and safety fair for employees.

Makes routine leadership rounds throughout the hospital and is highly visible as a leader to all employees and completes leadership rounds forms as required.

Minimum Qualifications :

Education : Graduate of an accredited school or college of nursing. Bachelor’s Degree preferred.

Experience : Minimum of one (1) year of psychiatric experience or experience with Behavioral Health. Minimum of one (1) year of management / administrative experience.

Licensure / Certification : Currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the state of LA. American Heart Association BLS (AHA BLS) and Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) certification. Candidates who do not have current AHA BLS or CPI certification will be required to attend company-provided classes during the week of orientation.

Competency : Position and Age-Related

HIPAA : Has access to and adds information to the Medical Record. May only access medical record of assigned patients.

Other : Knowledgeable in basic management principles and interpersonal communications. Knowledge of the professional nursing theory and practice to give and evaluate patient care. Knowledge of organizational policies and procedures to administer patient care. Knowledge of common safety hazards and precautions to establish a safe work environment. Skill in applying and modifying the principles, methods and techniques of professional nursing to provide on-going patient care. Skill in identifying problems and recommending solutions. Skill in preparing and maintaining records and writing reports. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with patients, hospital, medical staff and the public. Ability to analyze situations and apply critical thinking. Ability to communicate clearly. Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations. Excellent communication skills required. Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation requirements and LA nursing practice regulations.

Work Demands / Environment :

Ability to exercise self-control in potentially volatile situation such as being verbally or physically confronted in a threatening or aggressive manner; must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation and foot traffic; ability to handle interruptions often and be able to move from one task to another; must be flexible and not easily frustrated in dealing with differences of opinions. Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and / or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips. Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey detail or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly. Hearing to perceive the nature of sound with no less that 40 db loss @Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound. Perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands and fingers. Individual must be able to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and to be able to life, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks and visually observe patients on the unit and in therapeutic activities. While worker may possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside. Worker must have the ability to stand for at least 8 hours in order to adequately supervise patients.

Northlake Behavioral Health is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for all employment; free from discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preferences, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.